An aerial view of the barrier reef. The water over top is less
than a metre deep. On one side the water is shallow. On the
other, the depth drops quickly to over a hundred metres. |
Geology
The Turks and Caicos Islands are formed by two undersea pillars. The
first, and largest, is forms the Caicos Islands and the Caicos Banks, a
huge shoal of 30' - 50' depth that extends for miles south of
Providenciales. The second, smaller pillar forms the Turks Islands, of
Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
The islands themselves are of coral origin and are generally low-lying.
This results in the rock being similar to limestone. It is
white-coloured, and very soft. You'll see the bushes next to unpaved
roads coated in the fine white dust caused the stone wearing away from
vehicle travel. This same stone also results in the islands having some
of the best beaches in the world, with soft, delightful sand, perfect
for collecting in suitcases.
Ecology
The Caicos Banks cover a huge area. If this area were raised 50 feet,
the Turks and Caicos would be larger than Puerto Rico . This area of
shallow water is an important area for the Queen Conch, which are still
harvested in large numbers each year. Other sea animals are also found
including turtles, sting rays, eagle rays, sharks of all kinds,
barracuda, and numberless other fish. Seasonally, whales migrate through
the deep water that separates the Caicos Islands from the Turks Islands
.
On the land, the Turks and Caicos receive little rainfall. There are a
lot of mangrove swamps and salty bogs that are important for birds and
young sea animals. On a few of the smaller islands or cays, rock iguanas
can be found. On the larger islands, most places are rocky with
indifferent dusty soil. Despite this, a wide variety of short plants
quickly cover any unattended area, turning it into a dense 10' high
jungle. The primary plants are Lignum Vitae, a tree that produces wood
so hard and dense it sinks in water. The largest trees commonly found
are "pod trees", which are, unbelievably, a legume like beans or peas.
Climate
It's usually hot and dry (except in the ocean!), with little rain.
Because of the islands size and location, there aren't small drizzly
rains often as on some wetter islands in the Eastern Caribbean . This
location also means the islands are not often hit by hurricanes.
There are no poisonous insects in the Turks and Caicos, although there
can be scary 12" centipedes hiding under stones in the remote areas of
the islands. The only snakes found are tiny "toy" boa constrictors that
are usually about 15" long, but you are unlikely to see any of these.
There are no endemic tropical diseases, and the tap water everywhere is
perfectly safe to drink, and is probably better than what you get at
home.